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"I have seen enough of one war never to wish to see another." - Thomas Jefferson



Thomas Jefferson (1743-1826)
Political Party: Democratic Republican
Terms of Office: (1801-1809)
Vice Presidents: Aaron Burr, George Clinton

Thomas Jefferson was America's third president. His presidency was filled with many policital arguments and also some amzing advances. Overall Thomas Jefferson deserves a B. He wasn't the perfect president but his faults were not devestating to our country. He was a man of the Enlightenment and one of our countries most influential founding fathers. He was also the main righter of the Declararation of Independence. He believed in Republicanism and helped to found the Democratic Republican party.
Thomas Jefferson was determined to keep the younge, fragile country neutral as Washington had before advised. He also saw oppertunity to expand the country. He saw reason to search for a passageway to the Pacific. Jefferson was ambitious and had ambitious goals. His explorers did not find this sought after passage way but they did discover many new things the improve the country. He kept the country out of war and helped the country to grow to the Democratic country we know today.
Jefferson had a great relationship with the four congressional terms during his presidency. In each term the Democratic Rupublican party had the majority of power. Together Jefferson and the congress made improving our country possible and easy. Almost every piece of legislation he suggested was enacted on. Congess and Jefferson passed the Judicary Act of 1802, an act prohibiting the importation of slaves, and the Embargo Act of 1807. He is the only president to this date to never veto a bill of Congress.
The Louisiana Purchase was the best action of the Jefferson administration. By purchasing the land he kept the French Power out of the Americas. On April 30, 1803, Monroe and Livingston agreed to pay 15 million dollars for the land. Citizens were pleased. Jeffersons dream of a Democratic Republic from the Altantic to the Pacific began coming true. Thecountry had now doubled in size. Jefferson prepared his secretary Meriweather Lewis for an expidition. Jefferson hoped they would find a water passage tot he pacific, establish trade with the Native Americans and search for unknown plants and animals. When they returned in 2 years, 4 months, and 9 days they had only accomplished the last goal. They arrived with maps, and descriptions of prarie dogs, coyotes and a report which was widely read by many Americans. The Embargo Acts had the most negative affects during his term. Jefferson supported these acts, keeping ships from leaving on entering a port, hoping to keep America out of conflicts with Britian and France. The war between the Britsh and French created a great demand for goods. The U.S. neutrality traded with both. Therfore American ships were often attacked believing to be carryingsupplies for the enemy. The goal of the Embargo Acts were to hurt the French and Great Britian by limiting acess to American goods. This act was extremley inpopular with many farmers and merchants. American felt their rights were being violated many began smuggling through Canada. Therfore Jefferson proposed stricter laws in 1808 he used the power of the U.S. Army and Navy to eforce it. These acts made Jefferson unpopular and upset many colonists. They also contributed tot he war of 1812 war with Britian.
Jefferson wanted for a self sufficant country of farmers. He made our country larger with the Louisiana Purchase, doubling it in size. He made our country stronger, more independent although in his stive for independence he drug the country into European politics.
The country was a better country after Jeffersons presidency. He deserves his B. He did many great things such as increasing out resources and export and he limited federal government, cutting direct taxes, eliminating federal positions and reducing the size of our military. He encouraged agricultural growth and helped this country to its way of being amazing self run country.




"JEFFERSON, Thomas - Biographical Information." Web. 17 Sept. 2009. <http://bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/biodisplay.pl?index=j000069>.


Kmietowicz, Zosia, and Dougless Perry. "Lewis & Clark Expedition." National Archives and Records Administration. Web. 17 Sept. 2009. http://www.archives.gov/education/lessons/lewis-clark/.
"Thomas Jefferson." American Presidents Life Portraits. 2009. Web. 10 Sept. 2009. http://www.americanpresidents.org/presidents/president.asp?PresidentNumber=3.

"Thomas Jefferson." The White House. Web. 10 Sept. 2009.